Barrel length how is it measured?

Cyres

Well-Known Member
Ok, I know this sounds silly but how is the barrel length determined. Is it the total length or is it measured from where the rifling starts?

Alternatively if you order say a 26" barrel what do you actually get. Also how do you accurately measure it? Is it from end of muzzle to bolt face or tip of loaded round??

Just pondering as trying to check the twist rate of several rifles.

Regards

D
 
For some reason the chamber is included in the barrel length, so the easiest way is to insert a cleaning rod into the closed, empty rifle from the muzzle, mark it off at the crown and measure that.
 
No idea why, but I always measured from muzzle to front of action + 2cm for throat. The measurement agreed with the Steyr-Mannlicher barrel length given, so I took it I'd done it correctly.
Maybe & maybe not! The fox, goat & deer never argued with the bullets fired from the rifles though. :tiphat:
 
[h=2]Barrel length how is it measured?[/h]

As a rule ...................................... with a rule :D.

I can only assume that barrel length was stated as a component part, measured before fitting to action, hence it stuck. Incidently measuring to the breech face is enshrined in US law I believe and just like the UK they have some strange laws and regulations regarding firearms.
 
bolt face to muzzle, front of action to muzzle, blaser measure the whole length of barrel section.
just remember to align your expectations with the chosen method of the bloke building your rifle.....and remember, you cant make it longer!
 
Its actually measured from the "point of ignition".

Which is usually the bolt face/firing pin, which is also the most practical way to do it.

But for a muzzle loader its actually the flash hole, and for a pinfire or needle gun ???

See Shotguns - for clarification.

PS: if you are wanting to measure it to calculate twist rate like the OP, this is not the right way to do it, the unrifled part i.e. the chamber doesn't count.
 
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hi , my ballistics soft ware measures barrel length from the base of the bullet to the muzzle and I guess for performance and velocity calculations that is the measurement that matters -ie how far the bullet travels inside the barrel ..
 
hi , my ballistics soft ware measures barrel length from the base of the bullet to the muzzle and I guess for performance and velocity calculations that is the measurement that matters -ie how far the bullet travels inside the barrel ..

Do you have to enter OAL/COL then?
 
As mentioned before there are strange and weird rules and lwas regarding barrel length so a easy way of measuring has to be there after all one must remember that some of the "officials" doing the measuring are not particularly bright.
 
Thanks for all the replies, I think the bolt face and tip of bullet measurements will suffice at present.

Regards

D
 
Ok here goes , to be entered into the calcultions are the water capacity of the case ,the case length , the projectile length , measurement from bolt face to muzzle and finally the overall length of the loaded round , the software will give you a list of the best powders available and you can have a look at each of them and see which gives the best loading density velocity and operating pressure .. the programme give a whole lot of other info as well , it sure is the way to compare things especialy if you are into wild cats .. just altering one of the entries gives you the opportunity to customise your load data of barrel length etc to get the performance that best suits your hearts desires .. Rob
 
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